


Surrender

by hanabimonai



Category: No. 6 - Asano Atsuko
Genre: Angst and Humor, Character Study, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-29
Updated: 2011-10-29
Packaged: 2017-10-30 10:05:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/330551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanabimonai/pseuds/hanabimonai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shion & Nezumi have a fight that leads to a very memorable night. Their emotional connection is so beautiful, I thought their physical one should be too. <3</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

" _Okaeri_ , Nezumi!" Shion called from the couch, beaming brighter than his usual.

"Mm." As he stepped into the room, Nezumi tossed aside his superfibre and jacket. He then went to flop down on his bed.

"I saved up dog washing money and got something special for dinner."

"So that's what smells different." Nezumi turned on his side with his knees bent and his face to the wall as always; eyes away from Shion.

"At Rikiga's… you said you like meat pie."

"Well, that'll be a nice break from your soup, anyway," He looked back at Shion over his shoulder. His silver eyes sparkled, though his face remained calm. "So where is it?"

"I'll bring it out when we're ready to eat." Seeing through Nezumi's attempts to conceal his excitement, Shion grinned with pride. "And, I'd like to ask you something after dinner."

"Oh?" Though tired, Nezumi was in a pretty good mood today. "What's that?"

"After dinner." His grin receded to a smaller, more cautious smile.

"You're treating me to a _special_ dinner and you've got a secret question to pop on me later… My goodness, are you _finally_ going to propose to me?"

Cheeks flushing slightly, Shion looked away as he mumbled his retort: "Sorry to disappoint you…"

"You're blushing. See what I mean about your linguistic competence?" He let out an exaggerated sigh. "You're such an _airhead_ , you don't even realise what you're saying." And with that, Nezumi flipped back around on the bed.

Shion knew there was no serious intent behind Nezumi's cruel barbs— that he merely spoke the truth as he saw it— but the words still pained him. He didn't want to risk upsetting Nezumi this evening however, so he bore the sting quietly while Nezumi seemed oblivious to his hurt.

oxoxoxo

A short time later, Shion set the dinner out as Nezumi took his evening shower, and they ate together as usual. Shion also took care of the dishes, while a contented Nezumi reviewed some of his favourite passages of _King Lear_ to help him get into the mood for the role of Cordelia, the lines for which he'd already long since memorised.

Once the dishes were put away, Shion sorted some loose books into their spots on the bookshelves, and gave a quiet but sincere apology to Hamlet. The demanding white mouse squeaked indignantly, dissatisfied that they would have to begin their third reading of _Macbeth_ at another time. Cravat and Tsukiyo chased after him as he darted under the sofa to sulk. But finally, the time had come. Shion walked up to Nezumi with butterflies in his stomach but a resolve of steel. "Nezumi…"

Nezumi rolled back from the wall in order to face Shion. "Oh yes I almost forgot we were courting, this evening…" Now, lying on his other side, he rested his head in one hand and brought his knees up, legs bent at differing angles in a seductive and feminine pose that would thrill Eve's audiences without fail. He put on a temptress' face and an affected voice to match. "Well you're _young_ and you've got a pretty _face_ , but I'll warn you now that you've got a lot of competition. I'll have you know I have plenty of suitors vying for my attentions. Men of _means_ ," he sniffed defiantly, nose in the air.

It was now or never for Shion: "Fight me."

"What?" The pose remained, but Nezumi's face and voice projected confusion.

"I want you to fight me. I'll attack you first. Don't worry, I won't bite this time."

After an initial moment of shock, Nezumi succumbed to the absurdity of it all. He fell onto his back with his arms spread out on the bed, chest convulsing with laughter. "Oh god, that's… that's the funniest thing I've heard all _week_ …"

"I'm serious. I don't expect to win or anything. I just… thought I'd try fighting you once."

"Shion, is this your way of telling me we need a chessboard or something? They've got all sorts of stuff like that at the antiques shop next to—"

"Here I come!" Shion sprang toward the bed with decent speed, only to find himself leaping toward where Nezumi _was_. He spun around just in time to find a hand reaching for his shoulder, and managed to sidestep it with a turn to his right just fast enough that Nezumi's fingers slipped by without finding a grip or pressure point. He tried to kick toward Nezumi's stomach with his closer leg while his balance was on the other.

Nezumi took advantage of this by scooping that leg up out of the air, but took care not to let Shion topple to the floor.

With Shion's struggling leg raised into a numbing vice grip under his right arm, an incredulous Nezumi glared into Shion's eyes and asked: "What the hell are you doing?"

Hopping on one foot, Shion replied: "I want to see how far I can go."

"Before what?"

"Before you defeat me. You're a really amazing fighter, Nezumi. I want a better idea how far I would have to go before I can fight more like you do."

The second he finished speaking, Nezumi swung Shion's leg, slamming him into the end of the bookcase and knocking him off balance. His hipbone slammed against the hard wood, bringing a terrible explosion of pain to Shion's side as books rained down on his head. But before he was even finished crying out from the pain, he was grabbed by the neck, tripped from behind, and forced to fly backward onto the bed. A few more books fell to the floor, punctuating the sentence Nezumi had just brought down upon Shion.

On his back, looking up at a hard-faced Nezumi, Shion realised he was pinned down in _exactly_ the same manner Nezumi had used four years before. Both of his arms were restrained behind his head by one of Nezumi's, and Nezumi was squeezing his knees into Shion's sides to tighten the grip, just as he had back then. The smarting in his hip was subsiding, but Shion noticed both his legs numbing to the toes… "Well, this is nostalgic."

"Isn't it, though? Almost romantic, you could say." Nezumi smiled cruelly. "So you want to fight like _me_ , huh? Impossible. While you had your comfortable life of privilege as a No. 6 _elite_ , kids in the _real_ world were learning the _hard_ way how to fight for their lives. Even the lowliest residents of that hamster wheel of a city had clean streets, food, hospitals, schools, and safe, warm places to rest. Unlike them, the people out here grow up with no guarantee of shelter, no guarantee of food or water, no easy health care, and of course, no guarantee of security."

Nezumi's stormy grey eyes narrowed. His icy smile was replaced with a cold glare.

"And instead of going to school, they learned from experience: Whenever you get a scrap of food, you have to eat it before it's stolen from you. Whenever you're sick or hurt, you treat yourself, or suffer through it. Safe shelter is temporary because it's either too flimsy to last or because of mid-night intrusions by robbers or _worse_. And no matter how careful you are, trouble will always eventually come to find you anyhow. At those times, the only way out is to _fight_. To fight is to _survive_. Those are lessons of life in the _real_ world, Shion. You can learn to fight— you _have_ _to_ , if you're going to live out here. But don't think a former No. 6 elite like you can fight the way _I_ do unless you're forced to fight for your life many times over… Or are you arrogant enough to say you _envy_ the kinds of experiences that forced me to learn to protect myself?"

Shion averted his eyes for a moment, feeling like a guilty child. Speaking softly, he replied "No, of course not."

But lying there the way he was, Shion remembered the last time he'd lain like this; straddled by a small, slender boy with the freshly dressed bullet wound and such beautiful eyes; that fellow 12 year old who had opened his eyes to the truth about No. 6. Someone he endured four years of longing to see again… and who finally was with him now.

He _smiled_ , looking directly into Nezumi's angry yet still enchanting mirror glass eyes. "You're incredibly strong, Nezumi. Not just physically, either. To have lived through all of that and emerged the person you are now… you're really amazing. I'm really glad you've survived… and that I could meet you."

Even as he finished speaking, a look of total admiration remained on the boy's face as he gazed up at the one who held him captive. Nezumi's legs loosened and Shion felt heat and sensation flooding back toward his toes.

"Oh, that feels better."

"So we're done fighting now?" Nezumi's visage was now unreadable.

In this still moment, he noticed how beautifully the eyes above were reflecting the lamps' warm glow. Silvery grey contrasted with golden flecks of light.

The two stared at each other for a moment before Shion looked away, somewhat discouraged, thinking to get up. "Yeah, I guess we are. Thanks for humouring me a little. You must want to—"

Nezumi may have loosened his _grip_ on Shion's legs, but he wasn't moving his body any further and he still had Shion's arms pinned down.

"I'm not quite finished," he interrupted. Shion watched Nezumi lean down toward his shoulder, like he did four years ago to threaten him with a spoon. He brought his lips close to Shion's ear, just like back then, and spoke gently: "Four years ago, _you_ healed and clothed me, _you_ gave me food, _you_ gave me shelter… and _you_ gave me security, Shion. Only _you_ did, and no other stranger would." Nezumi let the side of his face fall into Shion's silk-white hair, their heads softly touching together. "If it wasn't for you,I _wouldn't_ have survived."

Shion blushed at this. Simultaneously, he ached for Nezumi to tumble down on top of him so the two of them could fall asleep together. He wanted to lie just as they were back then; Nezumi in his arms.

The hot breath on Shion's ear disappeared. Nezumi was leaning back now, but used his free hand to stroke Shion's hair, and brought his thumb across the boy's cheek. Looking up, Shion could see Nezumi's facial expression had softened considerably from his earlier impassive gaze. These caresses (and sudden mood changes) weren't anything new for Nezumi, but now, positioned as vulnerably as he was, Shion felt his heart rate gradually beginning to surge.

"Are you—" but Shion's thoughts were lost as Nezumi slid a finger down his left side from chest level, passed each rib, and ended at his no longer painful hip, resulting in a shivering exhalation and a soft gasp for breath. Shion closed his eyes, regaining himself. He now became aware that at some point, his arms had been released, and that Nezumi had apparently loosened his leg grip enough so that it would be quite easy to pull free if he wanted to. Instead, Shion stared up at his tormentor, appraising the new smirk he had on. "Nezumi, what are you doing to me?"

"Seeing how far I can go."

"Before what?"

Nezumi lowered himself down to Shion's ear again, and whispered: "Before you _surrender_." He rose back up again with amusement evident in his smile.

As Shion caught on, the colour in Shion's cheeks deepened further, but he wanted to test his hypothesis: "Well I think you'll have to go a little farther than that." And his red eyes sent a challenge up to Nezumi's grey.

Nezumi smiled and traced his thumb in a slow loop over Shion's upper and lower lips, as if to signal acceptance of that challenge. Without a word spoken aloud, the terms of their mutual endurance test had been set.


	2. Chapter 2

Nezumi's thumb lingered on Shion's lips a while, recording their subtle curvature; testing their give and softness. He stroked them apart, and dipped that digit inside just briefly. As Nezumi withdrew, Shion, heart pounding, was surprised how strongly he yearned to feel Nezumi's lips upon him. But he thought he understood this game… and wouldn't surrender that easily. As if reading his mind, Nezumi said: "Let's see how much more persuasion you need, then." His eyes sparkled with mischievous intent.

Taking care not to make any contact with his lips (but still making it as noticeable as he could how close they were), Nezumi brought his face toward Shion's ear again, blowing cool breath into it. He continued with some pleasant puffs over Shion's closed eyelids, traced over the bridge of his nose and finished with a final slow, teasing strip of air across Shion's closed lips. Shion wanted very badly to touch his lips to those of his gentle torturer, but still resisted that temptation. Nezumi drew back just slightly now, his face hovering above Shion's, expression soft but unreadable. He murmured: "How are you doing now?"

Shion smiled dreamily back at Nezumi: "Keep going." He knew that just as wordlessly as this began, he could forfeit and all would be forgotten. If he just got up and walked away, not a word would be spoken again about the peculiar developments currently underway. But a pleasurable prickling feeling was beginning to swarm his body, and Shion didn't want to 'forget' any of this at all. It also seemed distinctly plausible that rather than this just being a sadistic form of amusement for him, Nezumi's intentions could lay along the same lines as his own. Shion felt compelled to see this experiment through to completion.

So Nezumi took it to the next step. Abandoning his straddle across Shion's legs to sit _seiza_ between them instead, Nezumi's right palm grasped Shion's left ankle from the outside, slid behind it, and began to smooth its way slowly upward from just above the heel to the top of his calf. Shion unconsciously lifted his leg at the knee to welcome more of this soothing sensation. A bemused Nezumi raised his eyebrows at Shion's boldness as he let his flat palm cross under the bend of Shion's knee.

Now, Nezumi started to get pretty bold too, slowly sliding his hand deep into Shion's inner thigh. Careful to touch the thigh only, he rubbed his palm and flattened-out fingers back and forth along its length in a loop; inward along the inner thigh, outward from underneath, and inward, and outward all over again. Shion, panting softly now, found his pants were becoming somewhat restrictive. Taking notice of the faint stirring near his hand, Nezumi smirked in silent triumph.

As this act's finale, Nezumi switched legs and reversed direction, thrusting his palm ever upward along the bottom of Shion's other thigh, even to the seat of his increasingly bothersome pants and then back along the inner thigh, three times. On the last return trip, Nezumi strayed enough for his fingers to brush lightly against Shion's crotch before withdrawing his hand. Due to this small course change, Shion cursed in frustration, arching his back and bracing himself on his elbows, before dropping back down again. He closed his eyes and fought a mad urge to pull Nezumi down on top of him— this time not just to fall asleep. "Had enough?" Nezumi teased at Shion's obvious desperation.

"Th- that wasn't fair!" It was obvious that the red-faced Shion was now only running on sheer force of will. He had a competitive streak that was not to be underestimated. But Nezumi's calculated attacks were rapidly weakening his defenses.

Nezumi, still seated between Shion's legs, gently coaxed Shion up on his knees as well, so they were face to face. "You're doing really well," he said, brushing the back of his hand for a moment against Shion's right cheek. That hand passed through Shion's hair, fingers combing it back along the way to his shoulder, which Nezumi squeezed in encouragement.

Shion looked to anywhere but Nezumi's eyes. Now wracked with an intense desire that deepened even at the sound of Nezumi's voice, he knew he would be defeated the second they made eye contact. Those beautiful silver eyes would surely break him.

The owner of those eyes now gripped both of Shion's shoulders lightly, and kept that grip locked as he slid his hands down tense arms, lightly wringing the stiffness out of them all the way to the wrists. Shion kept his head tilted upward, his breaths somewhat ragged. Exploring hands slipped beneath his arms and back around his waist, so they could massage small circles in Shion's lower back, under his shirt. The fact he was reaching around Shion's front meant Nezumi's was up very close. He felt a powerful craving again for those lips to touch his own.

Shion was able to relax a bit as Nezumi's skilled fingertips pressed deep into his tense back muscles. But soon, those fingers found Shion's waistband, and dipped inside. Reaching only _just_ under his belt, they pressed straight outward from his back to his sides, as they migrated along the waistline to Shion's front. Once there, Nezumi's thumbs took over, tracing more circles along Shion's pelvic bone and drawing maddeningly close to, but not quite touching the swelling in his pants.

"Mm! Mmm!" Shion just about screamed through stoically sealed lips that did nothing to muffle his sounds of frustration. They both knew Shion was on his last legs as he looked up at the ceiling, his upper body teetering. As if to allow a small reprieve, Nezumi glided his hands loosely up around Shion's sides to his upper back again, lightly massaging him from the outside of his shirt. "You're not… making this easy… for me…" He shut his eyes tight now, immersed in the pleasant touches despite himself, head still tipped back to face the ceiling.

"I don't recall seeing that condition laid out in the job description." Shion thought he detected a note of impatience in Nezumi's voice, which he found vaguely gratifying.

"Wha… job… description?" he panted.

"Exactly," he sniffed in derision, but then added: "Such strength of will is admirable, _your majesty_." Shion was positive he heard more than a hint of desire in those words. Regardless, he was ready to give in.

It was time for Shion to face his final challenge. Nezumi's polished silver eyes lit up at the sight of Shion's reopening, shining fondly back at his smoldering red irises. Just this was indeed enough to completely erase any remaining pretense Shion had of aloofness or restraint. He shuddered with unbridled lust. "— s-su-su—"

"Surrender?" Nezumi grinned at the raging fire burning in his counterpart's eyes. A now totally uninhibited Shion grabbed Nezumi's shirtfront and yanked hard, pulling his obliging companion down on top of himself as he fell back on the bed, their legs slipping into a comfortable tangle. Nezumi laughed, "Finally!"

Mad with desire, Shion met Nezumi's kiss, returning it rough and messy as he bucked wildly, grinding against Nezumi's hips and moaning in ecstasy. Nezumi loved this animalistic side of Shion, that he wasn't sure existed before. Until now Nezumi was always holding himself back to fleeting soft caresses and ambiguously subtle compliments on Shion's bewitching hair and the alluring coiled snake that charmed him so. _I'm already toeing a dangerous line, just letting him stay here,_ he had reminded himself, each time his ardour began to rise.

But now, Nezumi too could no longer resist his longing. He effortlessly unbuttoned Shion's shirt, but removed only one sleeve before abandoning it to drape provocatively from one shoulder, so he could attack the side of the other boy's tempting, now fully-exposed neck. An adoring Shion reciprocated with passionate wet kisses on Nezumi's own. Nezumi ran a firm thumb along Shion's crotch just then, taking tactile satisfaction from the hard bulge in the boy's pants. "Oh god, Nezumi…" Shion pleaded.

"Here, let me help you with that." Shion lay back down obediently as Nezumi unbuckled, unfastened, and unzipped with ease, lifting his hips so the more experienced one could slide off his cumbersome pants.

_It's just sex_ , Nezumi told himself even as he traced the scar from Shion's chest to his side, licking along that red line he found so endearing, pausing to suck at the nearest nipple along the way. He kissed a straight line across Shion's delicate abdomen, and rendezvoused with the scar line again to lay further teasing kisses across Shion's most sensitive regions. _Sex hasn't attached me to anyone before…_

"Aah… Ohhhh..." Shion moaned as he felt a tongue glide swiftly up his thigh, and start lapping at the taut skin of his sac and erection. He cried out in surprise as all of his senses were thrust all at once inside a hot, wet mouth. Tears came to his eyes in response to that sudden intensity. One dripped down his cheek as he squirmed against the bed.

Lips and tongue began to suck and stroke in a lovely tempo along the hardened mass protruding from between Shion's legs, expert fingers caressing the regions beneath.

Feverish waves of pleasure crashed across Shion's body, followed by pleasant chills as the sweat evaporated from his skin. Shion had never imagined anything could ever feel so good as what Nezumi was doing to him right now. He tried to speak— to share how incredible all of this felt— but the best he could manage was; "Ahhh… Ne-zumiiii…" and a helpless whimper.

Even without words, the transported expressions Nezumi witnessed on Shion's face when he stole the occasional glimpse; the way hands swept lovingly over Nezumi's temples and jaw, and tugged desperately at his dark hair as he worked below; and the sublime rhythm of Shion's breathing told the adept lover that his efforts were well appreciated.

Shion's intense reactions were arousing more in Nezumi than just rampant sexual desire. What were these emotions? Beyond his most ardent physical urges, he felt a great fondness for the boy currently at his mercy— that just his existence alone was a miracle. He literally wouldn't exist now if this boy never did. And here was someone whose pleasure was clearly Nezumi's joy. He couldn't deny this; he was in the middle of experiencing it. He had no wish to manipulate him or take advantage of his naïveté, though he easily could. The thought of harm coming to this boy had always brought him great distress as well. No such emotions had ever surfaced within him before for another person.

_Itoshii,* is it… ?_

These unexpected revelations of Nezumi's were pushed neatly to the back of his mind as he sensed the euphoric Shion was about to climax. The enraptured boy's cries had been getting more frantic, and as Nezumi picked up the pace, the snake-wrapped boy writhed shamelessly on the bed and bit his lip in concentration, struggling for his release.

"Ohhh Nezumi! Ohhhhh! Oh god…" Shion cried as he perceived warm melodic vibrations gathering to form an exquisite harmony at the fork of his legs, reverberating outward to his extremities. And to Nezumi, Shion's heartfelt moans and sighs were an enchanting song.

As Shion was delivered into bliss, Nezumi felt a perplexing happiness wash over him. Of course he took pride in a job well done, but something _more_ was at work. After receiving Shion's plentiful emissions, and fighting back the urge to laugh at the absurdly-timed remembrance of Safu's recent request, Nezumi rose to take in Shion's glowing face.

Eyes closed as he laid limp in rest, contented smile, the rise and fall of his glistening chest as he caught his breath, and the way some of his stunning white hair clung to his head in drenched swirls and the rest was sculpted into shapes that looked something like tufts of downy feathers. Heart pounding, Nezumi drifted in to examine these things a little closer. Could this boy be any more _beautiful?_

Regaining himself somewhat, Shion was pleased to open his eyes and find Nezumi's lips so close. He claimed them quickly, wrapping his arms around the the shoulders of the one who had brought him so much pleasure. As he realised the origin of the unusual taste on the other boy's lips, he blushed slightly, but as Nezumi seemed content with it, he didn't let it bother him. "Nezumi… can I… ? I-I want to… do the same for you."

Determined though he was, his face reddened further. Something about Shion's innocent uncertainty stirred Nezumi's ardour even further. And Shion was entranced by the amorous glint in the grey eyes opposite him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seiza (正座) - Japanese style of sitting on bent legs; knees straight out front.
> 
> Itoshii (愛しい) - Nice Japanese adjective for what is "lovely," "dear," or "beloved."


	3. Chapter 3

Nezumi saw total adoration reflected in Shion's facial expressions as he spoke his request. How could he have allowed this to happen? Could this be what _he_ too was just feeling? But to be attached to someone in such a way was _dangerous!_ Just the thought was frightening. He tried to write it off as pure lust— a reaction to Shion's ingenuous brand of sexy— even though part of him protested this really _was_ something new.

The one thing Nezumi knew for certain was that he was aching to be touched by the angel before him. Pushing all other thoughts aside, he collected a series of very hungry, lingering kisses that gave Shion butterflies even after all he'd just experienced.

Shion smiled, encouraged, and began to— at first tentatively— lift up Nezumi's shirt. He now realised why he had always felt that flush rising to his cheeks whenever he allowed himself to steal glances at a topless Nezumi, towelling off his hair fresh from the shower. He was absolutely exquisite, chiselled _perfection_. It hardly looked to Shion like this body could be real— but he had felt for himself before the warm pulse of the heart beating inside that chest. Even before he was finished lifting off the shirt, Shion pressed eager kisses to Nezumi's breathtaking torso. As he did so, his upstretched arms carefully hoisted the shirt up above Nezumi's head.

Once it was over his head, Nezumi tossed the shirt aside and took Shion's head in his hands, fingertips smoothing back partly-damp hair, and coaxed him into yet another kiss. _The airhead's actually not half bad at this_ , he thought to himself, as the nude and snake-scarred boy slid his palms slowly up Nezumi's chest, down his sides, and began to remove his trousers, mid-kiss.

In No. 6, Shion's most prized mental ability was his incredible memory. There was muted praise as well for his perceptive abilities (mainly from classmates who wished they too could daydream while flawlessly absorbing class lectures). Until his twelfth birthday, the No. 6 testing boards and managed schools had celebrated Shion's auspicious ability to memorise vast quantities of information at a rapid pace. Combined with his unique perceptive capabilities, he was able to learn just about anything after doing, experiencing, or often just _witnessing_ it only once.

"Mmm… Shion… You… you done haven't this for anyone else before?"

"No, I haven't." _Not for someone_ else _, anyway,_ he kept to himself. "Is it… good?"

Both on their knees, Shion was behind Nezumi, straddling his legs and reaching around to stroke with one hand, while the other hand alternately gripped and fondled chest and nipples, lips and tongue travelled neck, and the rest of his body was pressed flush against Nezumi's back, bobbing slightly.

"Nnnot bad," he panted, "…for an _airhead_." Thrilled at the rare praise, Shion leaned toward Nezumi's turned head to nibble an ear and claim a kiss. _"Liar,"_ Nezumi laughed. "You said… you wouldn't bite."

Another mental quirk Shion possessed was considered disadvantageous, and frequently discouraged during his earliest, most tender years. No. 6 experts and officials referred to Shion's "childish ideations" as unbecoming a top-class gifted program candidate. He and his mother were told that once he grew older, if such patterns of thinking persisted and "interfered" with his decision making skills, he would be assessed as "lacking in good judgment," lose his privileges, and be removed from Chronos.

Imagination and creativity were anathema to the structured confines of No. 6. Citizens were to remain malleable and did not incite others. However _Shion's_ mind knew no limits because of its boundless _curiosity_. Karan's love for her son was unconditional. She always encouraged him in all he did, but Shion's never-ending flood of questions and unconventional ideas was toxic to No. 6 officials.

"So it's really alright?" Shion asked. He absently trailed his fingers down Nezumi's hip and thigh, and squeezed the closest cheek, without even realising what he was doing.

When Shion told Nezumi what he was thinking of trying, he was expecting to get an initial response along the lines of Nezumi's reaction to receiving stitches, the night that they met. Instead, Nezumi took mere seconds to magically produce a bottle of lubricant from a box hidden under the bed.

"Believe me, Shion… I don't need a biology lecture… just… _do_ it." There was mild impatience in his voice, but it was tempered by Shion's unconscious groping at his rear, which had created an engrossing counterpoint to the pleasure he'd been receiving up front.

Shion was surprised there really was no need for him to further explain how the male prostate gland and anal canal should be positioned in ideal proximity to allow for sexual stimulation via digital penetration. He was delighted to learn this was already a widespread practice, this _'fingering.'_ Anecdotal evidence suggested his postulation was correct! Academically satisfied, he filed away the science-y thoughts.

"Right…" Nervous, and always concerned for Nezumi's safety, Shion double-checked his nails and ensured his fingers were well-slicked before continuing.

For a time the city's education authorities succeeded in manipulating Shion into limiting his inquisitiveness to an "acceptable" level, and most importantly, to resist impulses to apply it to "inappropriate" topics. This would ensure retention of the promising assets that were Shion's superior genes and IQ.

Young Shion grew restless. He felt trapped. But he didn't realise it himself, until one stormy night, he let a captivating young boy into his life— just his own age, but so very _different_ — who reawakened his curiosity and inspired his fascination. That one night's chance meeting freed the twelve-year-old from his stifling life as one of the 'petri dish elite,' as the evening's intruder liked to call them. Shion was allowed to be _himself_ again.

"Ahhhh… that's… it…" Nezumi crooned in approval. "Aaahh… _Shion_ …"

The small movements of Nezumi's body along with his shallow breaths, the way that body was swaying against his own, Nezumi calling his name out in _ecstasy_ … Shion found it all so overwhelming, his heart was already thumping away again. The now red-cheeked, white-haired boy worked deliberate fingers within, while his other hand remained at work at the other boy's front. He had been carefully following Nezumi's instructions so far. Finding Nezumi so dependent on him now— so _vulnerable_ — was entrancing. Shion found himself excited all over again.

Nezumi let out a small, breathy laugh. "Shi-on, you… really bounced back fast…"

"Watching you is so… you're so… I couldn't help it…" Shion was glad Nezumi couldn't see the colour he could feel in his cheeks now. He wasn't sure why he found it so embarrassing really, but there was no way to hide the fact he was getting very turned on again; his front side was still pressed against Nezumi's back, and his breaths were getting heavy.

"Your reactions… are _usually_ … so slow." Nezumi reached around to grip the growing stiffness against his back and massage it gently, fondling the tip with his thumb.

Shion gasped, eyes closed, and sighed; "Ahhh… Nezumiii…"

"Come inside me, Shion."

"You mean—"

"Take those fingers out. Lube up."

"B-but—"

"Shion. I _want_ you in me, and… I wanna _hear_ you again… like before."

Experiencing an odd combination of heightened arousal, his heart aflutter, and giddiness at the words he'd just heard, Shion did as he was told.

Above all other activities, Shion had a lifelong love of learning. From the functions of the 60 billion cells of the human body to the most interesting colour combinations among his classmates' choices of clothing, every new piece of knowledge he obtained was a source of happiness.

Naturally, he was in constant awe at all that Nezumi was showing him about people, life, and the _true_ form of the world outside No. 6. So in a way, Nezumi was right when he told Shion that his confessed attraction to him was a fascination with something "new" and "different." But Shion felt Nezumi was very wrong about the _reason_ for that fascination. He hadn't grasped the _depth_ of it. And he didn't comprehend just how long ago Shion's feelings for him had emerged.

Never was there any other topic— not even the cherished interactions of innumerable species across interlinking ecosystems that he held so dear as a young Ecology major— _never_ was there _anything_ that he longed so much to experience more of or learn more about than he longed for _Nezumi_ over the last four years. He never wanted 'information to convert into numbers.' He wanted Nezumi's thoughts, feelings, and way of seeing the world. On the night they met, twelve-year-old Shion was immediately _drawn in_ by an innocent fascination with beautiful silvery-grey eyes, the likes of which he'd never seen before. This night, Shion was realising just how powerfully he was attracted by the magnetism of Nezumi's incredible body. He definitely wanted _that_ too. In a word, what Shion really yearned to have from Nezumi was _intimacy_. In every sense of the word. And it was more important to him than anything else in the universe.

Shion slid into Nezumi, exhaling slowly. He felt instantly electrified, tingling all over with restless desire. But his gaze passed over the prominent scars on the taller boy's back as he asked: "Are you alright, Nezumi?"

"Yeah, fine. Don't hold back too much."

Shion began to push forward and back slowly, in gentle exploration. Small ripples of pleasure formed and washed over both boys at once. They each sighed, nearly in unison. Incredible. Shion was amazed at their togetherness; Nezumi simply needed more. He soon reached a slow and lingering but steady rhythm, and they both continued to sigh and moan.

Bodies connected, moving together, sighing together, their shared pleasure… it felt to Shion like he and Nezumi were falling _in sync._ Nezumi was losing himself more and more in the moment. Shion was entranced as Nezumi's defenses disappeared. Even as he was entering total blissful abandon, the dark-haired boy's movements remained as graceful as ever.

Shion leaned in to kiss that beautiful boy's back. But as his lips met scar tissue, Nezumi's muscles began to tense. "You're so beautiful, Nezumi. Please…"

"Shion, it's…"

Silence.

_Nezumi?_

"I don't know who or what it was that hurt you," Shion whispered, "But I'm still very grateful you could survive, and we could meet, that day."

Shion caressed and then kissed Nezumi's scarred arm.

"Remember, Nezumi?"

Nezumi understood completely. It seemed right now they _both_ understood each other completely. Shion had once healed a wound in Nezumi's flesh. But the discolourations on Nezumi's back represented a wound to his _soul_. In an uncharacteristically tiny whisper, he replied: "I don't want it to contaminate you too."

Shion smiled and ran a finger slowly across the back of Nezumi's neck, where his own incision scar would be. From there, Nezumi had removed the parasitic wasp that had contaminated his body. "Thanks to you, I survived _this_. I'm grateful for that too."

The pale and white-haired boy carefully pulled back Nezumi's left arm, and brought that hand to his left leg, running its fingers across the the red mark that spiralled around it. "Now I've got this coiled snake and…" He hesitated a moment, chewing his lip: "If you let me bite you some more, maybe we can call it even."

Nezumi was simultaneously amused and scandalised. _"Shion!"_

Shion leaned forward and playfully nipped at Nezumi's shoulder blade. From there he began to lay kisses across Nezumi's back, traversing the scars there. Nezumi didn't expect to enjoy such attention as much as he did. Shion continued rocking his hips against Nezumi, losing himself again in the amazing sensations as he thrust inside, the elegant motions of toned muscles, and the melodic tones of the other's voice.

He pushed deeper inside and began to pick up to a faster tempo, becoming hyperaware that this was the closest he had ever been to Nezumi, both in mind and body. It was the most beautiful experience he'd ever had, with the most beloved person in his life. With each thrust, feverish waves of pleasure crashed harder and harder, and lasted longer and longer, the heat splashing across more and more of each of their bodies. Their movements together became more and more frenzied and frantic; their cries louder and louder. It seemed neither would last very long now.

Shion had held back as long as he could, and just as Nezumi began to come, moaning loudly and calling out Shion's name, Shion himself experienced an explosive release, which left him shouting out his ecstasy, joyous but incoherent. He gripped Nezumi tightly, and the two of them shuddered together on the bed.

Soon they became still; spent and exhausted. "I love you, Nezumi," Shion whispered. He knew not to expect a reply in kind, but he couldn't hold in his own feelings any longer. As he drifted off to sleep, he spoke again: "I've always… loved… you."

On and off throughout the evening, Nezumi had found himself concerned with what was transpiring between the two of them. But it wasn't Shion's fault. Nezumi, himself, had surrendered to his urges. Nezumi, himself, had seduced the other boy. And deep down, he must have already known what would happen. Sure sex hadn't attached him to anyone before. But he knew it was long before this evening's escapades that he noticed how very _different_ Shion was from anyone he'd ever met. Pampered, sheltered, weak, defenseless, too innocent, too inexperienced, too many questions, head in the clouds, too trusting, frustratingly unpredictable, a totally oblivious _airhead_ …

_Cute, charming, caring… alluring._

And so it really _had_ come to this. Nezumi didn't _want_ to be separate, unrelated persons anymore. He didn't _want_ to live apart. He wanted Shion to always, always _survive_ , at all costs. He had become a burden. A _special, irreplaceable person_ in Nezumi's life.

Someone he wanted to _protect_.

Shion was danger. Both a weakness and future enemy. He would make some damn blood serum to save the lives of the worthless people in the so-called Holy City. The same cursed city that would _kill_ him if he dared to step too close again. _And he would leave me alone to do it. He'd choose No. 6 and death, rather than staying here and living with me._

Shion lay fast asleep, nestled against Nezumi's back. Nezumi slowly shifted away and turned around, taking care not to wake him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see the peacefully resting Shion as an enemy. He would never be able to either kill him or to allow him to be killed. But would Shion ever agree to help him destroy No. 6? Still, he didn't seem to want to stand in the way, either…

 _You don't think it's enough that the place is a lie and a parasitic blight. You want to know_ my reason _to crush your precious wind-up toy town. Even if I tell you… If you learn the truth… You won't change your mind. If you decided help me, you wouldn't be_ you _._

_I need Shion to stay Shion._

_I need to eradicate No. 6._

_Either way, whatever you choose, we drift apart._

_I'd surrender to you, Shion. I'd… love you. Maybe I do already._

_But just like the night we met, we need another miracle if we're going to stay together._

* * *

**The End**

**Author's Note:**

>  **お帰り** ( _Okaeri_ ) - Common Japanese greeting to give to people returning home. Normally this would be either preceded or followed by "Tadaima", which means "I'm home," but Nezumi isn't quite that cordial. ;)
> 
>  **正座** ( _Seiza_ ) - Japanese style of sitting on bent legs; knees straight out front.
> 
>  **愛しい** ( _Itoshii_ ) - Nice Japanese adjective for what is lovely, dear, or beloved.


End file.
